Cambodia

Day 1

We had breakfast in the morning and were ready by 9 AM. Our guide Ho and Poly met us at the reception, and Poly picked up a crate of water bottles, which was very helpful. We picked up our mountain tickets in the city and headed to Kulen Mountain, which took about 1.5 hours. On the way, Ho told us about the mountain and the places we would visit.

Kulen Mountain, or Phnom Kulen, is a sacred place for the Khmer people and is considered the birthplace of the Khmer Empire. The Siem Reap River flows from here and was believed to become divine after passing over carved stones. We stopped at a viewpoint to enjoy the beautiful valley views.

Next, we saw the "River of 1000 Lingas," where many lingas and a few reclining Vishnus are carved into the riverbed. Then, we visited a 16th-century Buddhist monastery and climbed the stairs to see a giant reclining Buddha. After that, we walked to two lovely waterfalls and took photos at a picture spot.

On our way back, we had lunch at Banteay Srey Restaurant. Then we visited the Banteay Srei temple, a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It’s known for its pink sandstone and beautiful carvings from the Ramayana and Puranas. We saw a detailed carving of Shiva and Uma on Mount Kailasa, with different beings on each level.

We also enjoyed local music and instruments before heading to Pre Rup Temple for sunset. We climbed to the top, saw a Shiva linga, and stayed outside to watch the beautiful sunset.

Kulen Mountain and Banteay Srey Temple pictures

Day 2

We woke up very early and went to Angkor Wat by 5 AM to watch the sunrise. The dawn colors were beautiful. As we walked out, we saw a Vishnu idol inside and Naga carvings outside, with the sunrise in the background.

Next, we visited the Tonle Om gate, where we saw carvings of the churning of the ocean (Samudramathana) with Gods and Asuras. Then we went to Bayon Temple, known for its many smiling stone faces and carvings of ancient life. It is in the center of Angkor Thom.

After that, we visited Baphuon Temple, which was first a Shiva temple and later became a Buddhist temple. We saw carvings from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Krishna’s life on the walls.

We had lunch at a local restaurant and then visited Ta Prohm temple. Huge trees grow through the temple, with roots both supporting and damaging the structure. This jungle-like temple was used in the movie Tomb Raider. Restoration work is going on here with help from the Indian government.

In the evening, Poly took us to the local market in his tuk tuk, which is like an Indian auto but powered by a motorcycle. We bought a painting and some local souvenirs there.

Angkor Wat Sunrise, Bayon and other temple pictures

Day 3

We saw the sunrise in the morning at Angkor Wat and walked around the temple complex. We climbed to the second level and enjoyed the sunrise between the pillars. After that, we came down and saw beautiful carvings from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, the churning of the ocean, and the three worlds. The five towers of Angkor Wat represent Mount Meru, the mythical home of the gods.

Later, we returned to the hotel, had lunch, and checked out. On the way to the airport, we visited Beng Mealea temple. It’s a 12th-century temple about 40 km from Angkor, built in the same style as Angkor Wat. The temple is mostly in ruins, with trees and roots growing through it, giving it a wild, jungle look. It felt peaceful and untouched, like a hidden temple in the forest.

Angkor Wat and Beng Meala pictures